I decided to write a fanfiction about Star Wars, but then I decided I had to create my own original character, so here we go.

I don't own anything but my own character.

STAR WARS : THE DESTINY OF A JEDI

Chapter 1 : Sparring

"Hello, Master!"

These words echoed on the walls of the castle. The sun on Serenno was slowly pacing through the sky to rest undr the hills. But the nature was feeling scared : the trees were humming sadly in the wind, the animals were escaping hurriedly.

Dooku felt everything, through the Force. But he didn't pay attention to it. He was focused on the man who was standing before the open door on the vast room. A man dressed in brown Jedi robes. He had dark brown shoulder-lenght hair, icy-azure eyes, and a short beard. In his right hand, he held a deactivated lightsaber.

The elderly Sith smiled. "You still acknowledge me as your former Master, even now that you know who truly I am, don't you, my former Padawan?" The man didn't flinch. "I could never forget that you taught me what makes me a Jedi, even that your betrayal is clear. But I won't call you by your Sith name, because I know you are not entirely corrupted!" The smile on Dooku's face faltered. "I'm afraid you're wrong. I suppose you're here to talk, but you should know I won't listen until..." Still speaking, the Count lightened his lightsaber and made the Makashi salute, swinging his saber in a X-pattern. The man before him lightened his blue saber too and stood in the Soresu opening form. He had a smile on his face, as he murmured : "I know, Master. I know."

Then, the fighting began. Dooku immediately started attacking his old apprentice, but his powerful Form II Makashi technique, combined with his great experience and skill, was still unable to destroy the defense of his challenger. The Jedi was using Form III, Soresu, the most defensive form of all, and even if it wasn't going to give him a chance to even wound the Count, his defense was indeed impregnable. Even Dooku himself, one of the most skilled lightsaberist in the galaxy, was admired. And scared : his Makashi was elegant and lethal, but nonetheless it was no use for him to get an opening and defeat his opponent; and he feared that his challenger could simply wait for him to fatigue attacking him fruitlessly, and then strike him down.

But after an excellent parry against a high blow, the Jedi jumped back, breaking the rythm of the battle. He stood there, looking at Dooku, and the Count reluctantly relented. Slowly, he lowered his red lightsaber and deactivated it. "Excellent. Now, we're going to talk!" said the man cheerfully. The Count huffed. "You were a desperate case when you were a Padawan, Korlen, but now age hasn't bettered you!" "It's Master Torvin, now!" Korlen said, with a mock stern gaze. Dooku looked at him, and for a moment he felt pride. And sorrow.

He remembered when things were different...

33 years later...

"What's your name, Youngling?"

The little boy couldn't help but shiver. Standing before him was a man with a stern expression and a pale face. He knew, from the reverence of the onlooking Jedi, that he should be a renowned Jedi Knight, or even a Master. And here he was, asking him his name.

He gulped, and then said : "My name is Korlen Torvin, Master!" Dooku looked at him with a blank expression, but inside he was amazed. The boy looked very shy and modest, but with a training lightsaber he had managed to fight succesfully multiple opponents, using other techniques than the compulsory Form I, with a skill he had rarely seen. Yes, he thought, he might become even better than me! He suddenly smiled, and it was like spring had come into a desolate land. His expression was smoother when he asked : "Were you chosen by a Master yet?" The boy looked down : he was nearly twelve years old, but he still wasn't chosen by anyone. He managed to shake his head sadly.

Dooku put a hand on his shoulder, making him met his eyes. He simply said : "Don't worry; if the Council will approve, I will be your Master!" Korlen was speechless; then, overjoyed, made a big smile and said excitedly : "Oh, thank you, thank you so much, Master! And... could I know your name?" The renowned Knight's smile grew larger. "Of course! I'm Jedi Master Dooku..."

Now

"It seems just a year ago I chose you as my last Padawan learner!" Torvin chuckled : when he did so, he looked exactly like when he was thirteen years old. "You are right. I was so overjoyed; before that, I was thinking I should have to pack and prepare for the Agricultural Corps!" "Nonsense; you were the best lightsaber student in the Jedi Order at the time; if I wouldn't, someone else would have chosen you as apprentice!" Korlen lifted his gaze. "And now I would be a different person. And a different Jedi." Dooku silently nodded.

The elderly Separatist leader and the Jedi Master went silent for minutes. Then, Dooku again spoke up. "You wanted to talk, right?" "Yes, I do. I came here because I wished to tell you not to trust whoever taught you everything you know about the Dark Side. I'm not the best precognitive in the Jedi Order, but I have sensed something in the Force, and I'm afraid that your Master doesn't care about your life as much as you think!" Dooku looked outraged : he shot up, an annoyed expression on his face. "And don't you think I could make him pay for it? You underestimate my powers, Korlen!" Torvin was seemingly bored by this rage fit : he put his feet on the table, and looked at the ceiling. "As great as your powers are, I don't have to know the identity of the other Sith Lord to guess that his powers are greater than yours. And besides, about discarding you, have you ever thought that you had been used?" Dooku was perplexed; but he kept the annoyed face. Korlen kept talking : "You were useful by using your influence on the Separatist leaders, convincing them to secede from the Republic, you were useful by making our confidence falter, as you were one of the greatest Jedi Masters. But you're old, and who would you choose as a Sith apprentice, an old man, or a young one?" Korlen again lifted his eyes and looked in his former Master's eyes.

The logic in his words was untouchable. And it managed to make Dooku's confidence falter. The Count lowered his gaze, thinking about it. What if Korlen was right? What if his Master was preparing to betray him? If he chose to, he wouldn't be able to do anything, with all his powers he couldn't match him.

"See? You're being used, Master! And you didn't even notice it!" added Korlen sarcastically. Dooku scoffed; but inside him he knew he was right. But he won't admit it. "Well, I don't expect you to admit it, you've always been so full of your dammit pride! But I just wanted you to acknowledge it, so mission complete!" the Jedi said. To Dooku's quizzical look, he answered : "And no, I'm not here on behalf of the Council, I'm just here on my own. If Master Yoda or Master Windu knew, they would have ripped me off for even thinking about coming here to talk to you!" At this, even the impassible Count smirked.

Suddenly, there was some metal-like noises coming from downwards. Korlen lifted an eyebrow and commented : "Seemingly the droids I deactivated are back online. Well, this looks like goodbye for now, Master. Or do you have another idea?" The tone of this words was plain, but Dooku knew the hidden significance of them. He could have had him captured, tortured, and then killed very slowly; there were his MagnaGuards in the neighbourhood, that were more than one Jedi alone could match. But he hesitated : memories of years ago, what he had just said to him, everything told him that he owed him the chance to escape. And to cover his intentions.

The red lightsaber came to life with a blow. "Let's make this credible." he murmured. Korlen understood and grinned, while he too activated his weapon. And when, fifteen seconds later, the guard droids went into the room, they found the Count and the Jedi battling fiercely. The red and the blue lightsaber were locked in a mortal dance, and the faces of the opponents were determined. "The Council must have lost his touch if it sends my former Padawan here to kill me!" Dooku taunted. Korlen simply shot back : "Maybe, but you for sure are losing your skills, if I can block all your attacks without sweating!" The duel went on, then Korlen once again broke the match and jumped to the window. "I'd love to stay and keep discussing, Dooku, but some guests I'd rather not see are coming, so we'll have to end our discussion some other day!" He jumped down from the window, and he fell for more than fifty meters before using the Force to slowly touch the terrain. Then, he started to run, using Force Speed, so quickly that the MagnaGuards could not even take a shot at him. Soon, he was gone.

Dooku looked from the window : his Force presence was also gone, meaning he was hiding his presence. Another time, he was shocked to see how powerful his apprentice had become. An aide came by him and with fear he said : "My Lord, t-the Jedi e-escaped... the M-MagnaGuards were n-not able to stop him..." "I know. And I would be surprised if they were." Dooku interrupted him. He then said : "These incident means nothing. I'm not even wounded, and sooner or later his skill won't be able to save him. So, just forget about this!"

But as the aide bowed and gladly made a hasty escape, he knew that he himself would not be able to forget this experience. For the first time since he had become Darth Tyranus, he questioned hi choice. He had lost faith in the Jedi Order; But now, he discovered he still trusted a Jedi. And this thought was very disturbing.